Travel Insurance That Actually Covers You

Fall ill abroad just once — and you suddenly realise how much a good travel insurance policy is worth. It happened to me once on a long-haul trip, and ever since I never book a flight without the right cover. But the market is confusing, and not every policy delivers what it promises. Let me show you which policies are genuinely worth it — and what to watch for in the small print so they actually pay out when it counts.

The types of travel insurance

Behind the umbrella term “travel insurance” sit several very different products. You don’t need all of them — but two of them belong on every trip, in my view.

International health insurance

This is by far the most important. Your statutory health insurer pays nothing outside Europe and often only partially within the EU — and it never covers an expensive medical repatriation. A private international health policy closes exactly that gap, usually for just a few euros a year.

Trip cancellation and curtailment

This steps in when you have to cancel a booked trip before departure or cut it short — for instance due to illness. Especially with trips booked early or at high cost, it can save you a lot of money.

Baggage insurance

It replaces lost or damaged luggage — which sounds sensible but is often unnecessary. On flights the airline is liable anyway, and many losses are already covered by your home contents insurance via its “away from home” cover. Read especially carefully here before paying extra.

International health insurance — what matters

With the most important policy, the detail decides. Pay attention above all to these points:

• Repatriation: the wording should read “medically sensible“, not just “medically necessary” — that’s the far better condition for you.
• No excess: good tariffs waive it, especially for younger travellers.
• Scope and duration: worldwide rather than just Europe, and a sufficient maximum duration per trip if you travel for longer.
• Pre-existing conditions: check whether existing illnesses are covered or excluded.

Trip cancellation — the small print counts

No insurer pays for every reason. You’re only reimbursed if an insured reason applies — classically an unexpected serious illness, an accident or a death in the family. Watch the excess (often 20 percent), how pre-existing conditions are handled, and the importance of taking out the policy early enough — ideally right when you book. Anyone who buys only shortly before departure faces a waiting period with some tariffs.

Annual policy or single trip?

If you only travel once a year, a single-trip policy for that specific journey is usually cheapest. If you’re away more often, an annual policy almost always pays off: it covers every trip in a year, is considerably cheaper per journey, and you never have to think about it again. For families, there are matching family tariffs.

Beware of credit-card insurance

Many premium credit cards advertise built-in travel cover. That sounds convenient but often has pitfalls: cover frequently only applies if you paid for the trip with that very card, the benefits are capped, and trip cancellation is rarely comprehensively included. Don’t rely on it blindly — read the terms and close the gaps deliberately with a policy of your own.

My closing tip

If you take only two things away, let it be these: an international health policy with good repatriation and a trip cancellation policy are the foundation — everything else is optional. The few euros a year are well invested, because in an emergency large sums are quickly at stake. Compare calmly, read the small print, and then you’ll travel with a genuinely good feeling.

This article gives a general overview to the best of our knowledge and does not replace individual insurance or legal advice.